BIG ZEROBIG ZERO
Real Name: Amity Hunter
Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Microverse)
human mutate
Occupation: Criminal fascist;
former Briggs Chemical, LLC employee; soldier
Group Membership: None;
formerly Briggs Chemical, LLC
(Jeremy
Briggs, Coat of Arms/Lisa Molinari, Enchantress/Sylvie Lushton,
Jocasta, Veil/Madeline Berry), Young Masters
(Coat of Arms/Lisa Molinari, Egghead, Enchantress/Sylvia Lushton,
Executioner/Danny DuBois, Melter/Chris Colchiss)
Affiliations: Briggs Chemical, LLC, Norman Osborn's Avengers (Hawkeye/Lester, Iron Patriot/Norman Osborn, Sentry/Bob Reynolds, Wolverine/Akihiro), the Young Masters
Enemies: Avengers Academy students
(Finesse/Jeanne Foucault, Hazmat/Jennifer Takeda, Lightspeed/Julie
Power, Mettle/Ken Mack,
Reptil/Humberto
Lopez, Striker/Brandon Sharpe, White Tiger/Ava Ayala, X-23/Laura
Kinney),
H.A.M.M.E.R. (who were disguised as Hydra agents), Jay and his thugs,
Young Avengers (Hawkeye/Kate Bishop, Hulkling/Dorrek VIII, Patriot/Eli
Bradley, Speed/Tommy Shepherd, Stature/Cassie Lang, Vision/Jonas,
Wiccan/Billy Kaplan)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: "Mistress"
Base of Operations: Presumably mobile;
formerly the Briggs Building in Manhattan, New York,
USA; the new Invisible Manor, New York USA; the Invisible Manor,
Central Park, New York City, New York, USA
First Appearance: Dark Reign: Young Avengers#1
(July, 2009)
Powers/Abilities: Big Zero can grow to gigantic size, gaining proportionate increases in strength and durability to match her size. The upper limit of how large she can grow remains to be seen (see comments).
As a skilled hacker, Big Zero is extremely tech-savvy and can alter and reprogram artificial beings with relative ease.
Big Zero has had some combat training from her time
as a Microverse soldier.
Height: Variable
Weight: Variable
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blonde
History: (Dark Reign: Young
Avengers#3 (fb) - BTS) - Amity Hunter received the ability to grow to
gigantic size in an accident.
(Dark Reign: Young Avengers#4 (fb) -
BTS) - Amity became a fascist soldier, soon meeting the artificial
being Egghead.
(Dark Reign: Young Avengers#2 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Amity received combat training.
(Dark Reign: Young Avengers#4 (fb) - BTS) - Amity and
Egghead somehow wound up on Earth.
(Dark Reign: Young Avengers#3 (fb) - BTS) -
Amity got several neo-Nazi and white supremacist-like tattoos because
she thought they "looked cool."
(Dark Reign: Young Avengers#2 (fb) - BTS) - Deciding to become closer to her superhero-themed art, young artist Coat of Arms opted to become a hero herself, soon meeting the young Melter and finding other superhuman teens such as Amity.
(Avengers Assemble - Young Masters entry - BTS) -
When she met Coat of Arms, Amity Hunter claimed she was raising an army
in the Microverse.
(Dark Reign: Young Avengers#1
(fb) - BTS) - After
being gathered together with the other superhuman teens assembled by
Coat of Arms for her new art project, Amity headquartered with the
teens in the Invisible Manor in New York's Central Park, where she
roomed with her ally/lover Egghead. Over time,
Amity altered the operating parameters of Egghead, changing his
parameters from the respect of all human life to not respecting
African-Americans or Asian-Americans, among other groups. Eventually,
the teens, led by the new Melter, appropriated the name of the heroic
Young Avengers, with Amity taking the codename of Big Zero.
(Dark Reign: Young Avengers#1
(fb)) - On one
instance, the Melter berated Big Zero for her white supremacist views,
admitting that while overthrowing the federal government had once
sounded cool, he now had no idea where her racist views were coming
from. He then argued that their "Young Avengers" team was a home for
all kinds, where its members could learn. Despite his anger at Big
Zero's ways, Melter ultimately settled on allowing her to stay with the
group since Coat of Arms wanted her there.
(Dark Reign: Young Avengers#1) - With the "Young Avengers," Big Zero confronted a group of thugs robbing a convenience store, noting the one Caucasian man amongst the thugs. When the thugs opened fire on the "Young Avengers," a bored Big Zero (at giant size) asked if they could finish the fight faster before asking the Caucasian man if he knew what her favorite television show is. She then answered her own question with "Monty Python" while crushing the man beneath her boot. Big Zero then wiped her boot on the side of a dock and admitted that while she actually wasn't much of a "Monty Python" fan, the line sounded cool. Melter quickly reminded Big Zero that they were supposed to be superheroes and that she needed to set a better example, prompting Big Zero to promise she would be a "good girl" next time. As the thugs were defeated and the police arrived, Big Zero and the "Young Avengers" fled the scene, soon going to drink at a bar in their civilian guises using Enchantress' abilities to persuade the bartenders to serve them free drinks despite being underage. When the police showed up at the bar, Big Zero and her teammates were teleported back to their Invisible Manor headquarters by Enchantress. Melter then began a meeting to discuss why some of the "Young Avengers" did not follow the plan, such as Big Zero and Executioner murdering some of the thugs. Annoyed, Big Zero left the meeting to go to bed rather than listen to Melter as Executioner reminded Melter that the thugs killed had criminal records before asking if Melter wanted to continue their ruse as superheroes.
Later that night, as Enchantress went to bed with Melter explaining how Egghead was doing magic tricks, Melter suggested Big Zero and Egghead were dating. While the two were settling down for the night, Big Zero was again adjusting the operating parameters of Egghead and when Egghead questioned why Big Zero was programming disrespect into his systems, Big Zero reminded him that it was what she was all about. Figuring Egghead would've learned her opinions on race in the time they had roomed together, Big Zero suggested Egghead's speech patterns were still too politically correct before deciding that Egghead had earned a workout of his pleasure circuits.
Later still, Big Zero met with the other "Young Avengers" and discussed Melter's leadership of the team and when the team questioned what gave them the right to call themselves the Young Avengers, the true Young Avengers arrived to confront the teens.
(Dark Reign: Young Avengers#2) - At first groaning at
the Young Avengers in their spandex costumes, Big Zero quickly attacked
the Young Avengers' Stature when the two teams erupted into a fight.
Big Zero had the upper hand against Stature, twice getting it attacks,
before Enchantress halted the battle. As Big Zero was knocked into the
nearby couch, Stature discussed with the Young Avengers' Vision her
recognition of Big Zero's past combat training and assured Vision that
Big Zero would not be underestimated a second time. After Coat of Arms
explained how she had been inspired to create a new art project on
superheroism following a meeting with Norman Osborn, resulting in her
team of Young Avengers posers, Big Zero watched as the true Young
Avengers agreed to allow Big Zero and her allies to try out for the
real Young Avengers. The Young Avengers' Patriot then warned that those
not wishing to try out would be forced to stop using the Young Avengers
name and promised the Young Avengers would return the next day to see
what Big Zero and her allies decided to do. As the Young Avengers
departed, discussing their opinions of what the posers might do, Wiccan
admitted he could without recruiting the not-quite-Nazi Big Zero. Once
the true Young Avengers had left, Big Zero sat in Egghead's lap and
express contempt that they would have to earn their title of Young
Avenger from the Patriot, sarcastically wondering what Patriot would do
if they didn't "earn it."
(Dark Reign: Young Avengers#3)
- Trying out for the
true Young Avengers, Big Zero went on a mission with Stature in which
they fought Hydra helicopters. When Big Zero straight punched a
helicopter, Stature explained that, in the Initiative, she had been
trained against helicopters and that they needed to disrupt the
helicopter's controls and set the vehicles on the ground. Big Zero replied by remarking that if they set the
criminals down, they might at least take out some of the police.
Stature then questioned if Big Zero really wanted to be a Young
Avenger. Once
the helicopters were grounded, Big Zero lied about her origin story,
claiming to Stature that she received her powers from some sort of
accident and that she only got her tattoos because they looked cool.
She then claimed some of her best friends were Jewish. Big Zero later
regrouped with her teammates and the true Young Avengers following
Hydra's defeat. When the true Young Avengers met to assess the
fieldwork of the "Young Avengers," Statue informed the other Young
Avengers that Big Zero's origin seemed half-baked at best and that Zero
didn't even seem to care if Statue believed her. The other Young
Avengers agreed that Big Zero would not be offered Young Avengers
membership. While the Young Avengers assessed, Big Zero ate pizza with
her teammates at the Invisible Mansion but when the Melter asked if
they wanted to clean up their act and be real Avengers, Big Zero and
the rest of her teammates laughed at the Melter's suggestion.
(Dark Reign: Young Avengers#5 (fb) - BTS) - At some
point, Big Zero did an analysis on her teammate the Enchantress and
learned that Enchantress had been empowered by the Asgardian god Loki
as part of a trap against the Avengers.
(Dark Reign: Young Avengers#4) - Big Zero was with her teammates when the true Young Avengers met them and announced that they wished to recruit Enchantress and Coat of Arms onto their team on a provisional basis. The two teams argued as Big Zero muttered to Egghead about which of their team were wanted and which not. While Norman Osborn secretly considered using some of both teams of Young Avengers, Big Zero and Egghead discussed plans to keep the Enchantress from leaving their team. She then suggested Egghead attack the real Young Avengers' Vision to download some truth into the Young Avengers. The next day, after Egghead downloaded data about Enchantress' empowerment into the Vision and she was kicked off of the real Young Avengers, Big Zero smirked next to Egghead as the Enchantress came crying back to their team. She then watched as the Melter informed his teammates that the Young Avengers were going to visit to debate things and how Norman Osborn's Avengers would be waiting for them. Big Zero then remained present as the Young Avengers arrived and Melter introduced them to Norman Osborn's Avengers team.
(Dark Reign: Young Avengers#5) - When Norman Osborn announced that only he decided who was or was not an Avenger, a fight broke between the real Young Avengers, the poser Young Avengers and Norman Osborn's Avengers, with Stature immediately attacking Big Zero. Big Zero attempted to grow larger but only succeeded in briefly injuring herself when she hit part of the building. Stature responded by exclaiming that Big Zero was just that, a big zero, before punching Big Zero and remarking that Amity was fighting Avengers now. Stature then suggested Big Zero surrender and be taken into custody. She was soon surprised, however, when Coat of Arms worked with the true Young Avengers to banish the Sentry from the scene. The Melter then had the Enchantress teleported Big Zero and her teammates away.
(Avengers Assemble - Young Masters - BTS) - Big
Zero's group officially took the name of the Young Masters.
(Age of Heroes#2/3) - After
moving into the new
Invisible Manor somewhere in New York and following Norman Osborn's
fall from power, Big Zero and the newly-dubbed Young Masters discussed
what to do next. Big Zero suggested the team was now considered the bad
guys with Osborn being ousted, with the possible exception being Coat
of Arms due to her friendship with the Young Avengers' Speed. Big Zero
and Coat of Arms then nearly got into a fight before the Melter broke
it up, remarking that the labels of hero and villain were nothing more
than words.
(Avengers Academy I#34 (fb) -
BTS) - Big Zero,
Enchantress and Coat of Arms contacted the element-transmuting Jeremy
Briggs at Briggs Chemical, LLC, asking for a chance to do something
that mattered. Not quite trusting the former Young Masters, Briggs made
them earn his trust by allowing him to de-power them. Earning his trust
and their powers back several times over with their loyalty, the trio
began working for Briggs on a regular basis.
(Avengers Academy I#34) - When
Jeremy Briggs invited
the Avengers Academy students to his headquarters, Big Zero,
Enchantress and Coat of Arms (each in lab coats to disguise their
identities) each helped Briggs restore students Hazmat and Mettle to
their normal human forms. After Briggs suggested de-powering all
superhumans, the unknowingly de-powered Avengers Academy students
fought back, prompting
Briggs to reveal his antidote to de-powering by having Big Zero,
Enchantress and Coat of Arms reveal themselves. Big Zero quickly
grabbed Avengers Academy student X-23 and pinned her to the ground but
Finesse used a throwing star to sever key cables to some of Briggs'
machinery, causing an explosion in which the Academy seemingly
disappeared. Briggs immediately ordered Big Zero and Coat of Arms to
find the Academy students, get them medical attention and then lock the
students up. Big Zero then asked Coat of Arms if Briggs was serious
about giving the students medical attention after the group had nearly
killed them all and Coat of Arms responded by saying she didn't think
it mattered, as the students likely did not survive the explosion.
(Avengers Academy I#35) - Big
Zero began digging into the rubble caused by the explosion,
communicating with Coat of Arms that she hoped she would find and be
able to kill the Hispanic Reptil. When Coat of Arms warned her that
Briggs preferred Big Zero not use that sort of racist speech and that
Big Zero was supposed to be a "reformed" racist, Big Zero claimed that
she merely wanted to kill Reptil because she hated his face. Big Zero
then reminded Coat of Arms that while Briggs paid her, he was not her
boss and she did what she wanted. Brushing aside Big Zero's claims,
Coat of Arms reminded Big Zero to make sure she flattened any Academy
students in a way to disguise any attack from Big Zero. When Coat of
Arms then remarked on how she was analyzing Reptil and White Tiger's
mystic amulets, which she claimed was more important than simply moving
rocks, Big Zero accused Coat of Arms of being an art school snob and
warned that if Coat of Arms kept talking like that, she would see if
rubble didn't fall on her as well. Big Zero soon found X-23 beneath
some of the rubble and gloated on X-23's supposed crushing before X-23
stabbed Big Zero in the foot. As Big Zero stumbled, Finesse kicked her
in the face as the Avengers Academy students revealed themselves to be
alive. Happy to see the students alive and wishing to fight, Big Zero
backhanded Finesse and X-23 responded by slashing Big Zero's ankle.
Calling X-23 a "mutie freak," Big Zero punched X-23 into the wall then
made another attack on Finesse, who kneed Big Zero in the chin.
Announcing that Finesse would suffer for such an attack, Big Zero
instead fell backwards into the rubble, which then toppled onto her,
knocking her unconscious. Reptil then questioned if Big Zero was dead
and when White Tiger remarked on Big Zero's breathing, Reptil suggested
a skull fracture. Finesse responded by admitting she wasn't worried
about their enemy and was more concerned about the depowered X-23 being
unable to heal from her injuries.
(Avengers Academy I#37 - BTS) - Hours after Jeremy
Briggs died due to blood loss suffered during a battle with the
Avengers Academy students, the police were called and were given the
locations of Big Zero and Coat of Arms inside the Briggs Building.
Unfortunately, the police informed Briggs' former accomplice Jocasta
that there were no signs of either Big Zero or Coat of Arms. Jocasta
then suggested that the Enchantress may have spirited Big Zero and Coat
of Arms away when she teleported away from the Briggs Building but she
also commented that both Big Zero and Coat of Arms had ample time to
have escaped on their own as well.
Comments: Created by Paul Cornell and Mark Brooks.
While not outright called Big Zero in her story
appearances, except for as an insult from Stature, Big Zero's codename
was confirmed in the Young Masters Official Marvel Handbook profile in
Avengers Assemble (2010).
Big Zero's origin was never clearly shown. She claimed to Stature that she had received her powers from "some sort" of accident but Stature admitted that Big Zero seemed to have been making up an origin story on the fly and didn't even seem to care if Stature believed it or not. After all, Big Zero also told Stature that she was not racist and had only gotten the neo-Nazi tattoos because they "looked cool." Big Zero was clearly a neo-Nazi/white supremacist so that part, at least, was likely a lie and one could assume that the half-baked "some sort of accident" origin for her powers to be a lie as well. Norman Osborn later referred to Big Zero and Egghead as "those two fascist soldiers from a microscopic universe," suggesting Big Zero and Egghead both originated within the Microverse. While that seems an odd origin for Big Zero, it'd be unlike Osborn at that point in political power to not do his research regarding enemies. It's possible, however, that portions of both stories could apply and still work so I've included the pertinent information of both stories into this profile.
Additionally, it was never explained how Big Zero
arrived on Earth from the Microverse. Given her growing powers, it's
possible she enlarged herself to the point of escaping the Microverse
itself, which would suggest a much greater upper limit to her powers.
While on Earth, however, she was not seen any larger than a tall New
York skyscraper, perhaps 100ft. or so.
While often referred to as "size-changing," Big Zero (so far) has not displayed the ability to shrink smaller than her typical humanoid size.
The Young Masters originally had no actual name and had appropriated the name of the Young Avengers. The storyline name in Dark Reign: Young Avengers was called "Young Masters" and at one point, Executioner mentions that the group should be the "masters" of superheroes but the team never calls themselves that. The first time the team is officially called the Young Masters is their Marvel Handbook entry in Avengers Assemble (2010).
This profile was completed 7/15/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.
Profile by Proto-Man.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Big Zero has no known connections to:
images: (without ads)
Avengers Assemble, p59, Young Masters entry (Big Zero, main image)
Dark Reign: Young Avengers#1, p4, pan4 (Big Zero, headshot)
Dark Reign: Young Avengers#1, p7, pan1 (Big Zero,
standing with teammates)
Dark Reign: Young Avengers#1, p8, pan1 (Big Zero,
drinking in civilian clothes)
Dark Reign: Young Avengers#3, p2, splash page (Big Zero posing as a
hero)
Age of Heroes#2, front cover (Big Zero with Egghead)
Avengers Academy I#34, p9, pan3 (Big Zero as Briggs Chemical employee)
Avengers Academy I#34, p15, pan3 (Big Zero with Jeremy Briggs)
Avengers Academy I#35, p2, pan1 (Big Zero digging through rubble)
Appearances:
Dark Reign: Young Avengers#1 (July, 2009) - Paul Cornell (writer), Mark
Brooks (art), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Dark Reign: Young Avengers#2 (August, 2009) - Paul Cornell (writer),
Mark Brooks (pencils), Mark Morales, Walden Wong, Dexter Vines (inks),
Tom Brevoort (editor)
Dark Reign: Young Avengers#3 (September, 2009) - Paul Cornell (writer),
Mark Brooks (pencils), Mark Morales, Walden Wong (inks), Tom Brevoort
(editor)
Dark Reign: Young Avengers#4 (November, 2009) - Paul Cornell (writer),
Mark Brooks (pencils), Walden Wong (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Dark Reign: Young Avengers#5 (December, 2009) - Paul Cornell (writer),
Mark Brooks (pencils), Walden Wong (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers Assemble (July, 2010) - Jeff Christiansen, Sean McQuaid (head
writers, coordinators), Rob London, Michael Hoskin, Ronald Byrd, Markus
Raymond, Madison Carter, Gabriel Shechter, Kevin Garcia, Mike
O'Sullivan, Chris Biggs, Jacob Rougemont (writers), Mark Brooks (Young
Masters entry art), Jerry Kalinowski, Nelson Ribiero (art
reconstruction), Mike Fichera, Gally Articola, Sean Ellery (art
refurbishment), Jeff Youngquist (editor)
Age of Heroes#2 (August, 2010) - "Young Masters" story - Paul Cornell
(writer), Mark Brooks (art), uncredited editor
Avengers Academy I#34 (October, 2012) - Christos Gage (writer), Tom
Grummett (pencils), Cory Hamscher (inks), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers Academy I#35 (October, 2012) - Christos Gage (writer), Andrea
di Vito (pencils), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers Academy I#37 (November, 2012) - Christos Gage (writer), Tom
Grummett (pencils), Cory Hamscher (inks), Bill Rosemann (editor)
First Posted: 09/27/2021
Last updated: 09/26/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and
© 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you
like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!